Latest releases
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2,938 releases
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Wilson welcomes winter fuel u-turn
DUP MP Sammy Wilson welcomes the Government's reversal on winter fuel payments and says it will relieve poorer pensioners, but questions why the original decision was taken. He says the reversal's stated economic justification does not hold up.
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: UK government Winter Fuel Payment U-turn for pensioners with incomes under £35,000 Original release: Wilson welcomes winter fuel u-turn (opens in a new tab)
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Communities Minister welcomes government u-turn on winter fuel…
DUP Communities Minister Gordon Lyons welcomes the UK government's U-turn restoring Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners with incomes up to £35,000 and says he will press Executive colleagues to match the support in Northern Ireland. He says officials are working with the Department for Work and…
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: UK government Winter Fuel Payment U-turn for pensioners with incomes under £35,000 Original release: Communities Minister welcomes government u-turn on winter fuel… (opens in a new tab)
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Government must act now to better protect women and girls - Frew
DUP MLA for North Antrim Paul Frew calls on the Government to act urgently to protect women and girls, citing two recent serious sexual assaults on teenage girls in Ballymena. He urges the PSNI and statutory agencies to address challenges in Houses of Multiple Occupation and illegal immigration.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Ballymena sexual assaults on teenage girls Original release: Government must act now to better protect women and girls - Frew (opens in a new tab)
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NI pensioners mustn’t be left behind, says Mulholland, following UK Govt winter fuel payment U-turn
Alliance Communities spokesperson and North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland welcomes the UK Government's winter fuel payment U-turn and calls on the Communities Minister to explore a comparable uplift for Northern Ireland pensioners, having submitted a written question on his plans.
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: UK government Winter Fuel Payment U-turn for pensioners with incomes under £35,000 Original release: NI pensioners mustn’t be left behind, says Mulholland, following UK Govt winter fuel payment U-turn (opens in a new tab)
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UK Gov must reverse damaging welfare cuts and deliver fairer funding for public services, says Tennyson
Alliance Finance spokesperson Eóin Tennyson MLA calls on the UK Government to reverse welfare cuts ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves's Spending Review, citing winter fuel payment restrictions and the two-child benefit cap. He also calls for guaranteed fair funding for Northern Ireland's public…
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: UK Spending Review announcement on welfare and public service funding Original release: UK Gov must reverse damaging welfare cuts and deliver fairer funding for public services, says Tennyson (opens in a new tab)
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Conference on Health and Care in a New Ireland
Sinn Féin held a conference on Health and Care in a New Ireland, where speakers highlighted gaps in mental health, disability and elderly services, long diagnostic waits and underfunded counselling. Delegates voted to support a Citizens Assembly on Health and called for all‑island, free‑at‑point‑of‑
Health Issue: Health and Care in a New Ireland conference Original release: Conference on Health and Care in a New Ireland (opens in a new tab)
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TUV question if Stonewall played a role in NICS attendance at Belfast Pride
TUV Equality Spokeswoman Ann McClure questions whether fear of falling in Stonewall's equality index influenced the Northern Ireland Civil Service's participation in Belfast Pride, and says TUV will table an Assembly question and submit a Freedom of Information request on the decision.
Disability and equality Issue: NICS participation in Belfast Pride 2025 and Stonewall links Original release: TUV question if Stonewall played a role in NICS attendance at Belfast Pride (opens in a new tab)
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Amanda Grehan officially installed as first female Mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
Alliance Alderman Amanda Grehan has been installed as Lisburn and Castlereagh's inaugural woman mayor, pledging inclusive leadership and naming Action Cancer as her mayoral charity, with an inclusivity-for-disabilities theme for her year.
Local government Disability and equality Issue: Amanda Grehan installed as Mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council Original release: Amanda Grehan officially installed as first female Mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (opens in a new tab)
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Patient safety has to be at forefront of measures taken in Belfast Trust – McGuigan
Sinn Féin MLA and Health Committee chair Philip McGuigan says patient safety and staff support must come first in the Health Department's response to Belfast Trust Cardiac Services. He welcomes the Health Minister's Departmental Accountability Team and Level 5 accountability for the Trust, and…
Health Issue: Ministerial Statement on cardiac surgery at Belfast Trust Original release: Patient safety has to be at forefront of measures taken in Belfast Trust – McGuigan (opens in a new tab)
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Buchanan questions PSNI on impact of Supreme Court Ruling on gender
DUP Mid Ulster MLA Keith Buchanan says the PSNI must urgently review its policies and practices, including strip searching and stop and search, following the Supreme Court ruling on sex-based protections. He says it should not wait for Equality Commission advice before acting.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Supreme Court ruling on gender and PSNI policy implications Original release: Buchanan questions PSNI on impact of Supreme Court Ruling on gender (opens in a new tab)
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Intervention into Belfast Trust must be radical and comprehensive:…
DUP Health Spokesperson Diane Dodds welcomes the Health Minister's response on cardiac surgery at the Belfast Trust but says it came too late and calls for intervention that is radical and comprehensive. She links the issues to Trust management costs of £63 million and asks what cardiac surgeon…
Health Issue: Ministerial Statement on cardiac surgery at Belfast Trust Original release: Intervention into Belfast Trust must be radical and comprehensive:… (opens in a new tab)
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The Ulster Unionist Party welcomes action on Belfast Health Trust - Chambers
UUP Health Spokesperson Alan Chambers MLA welcomes the Health Minister's decision to raise the performance accountability process for the Belfast Trust to level five and to form an intervention team with senior leadership experts. He also commends Mike Nesbitt for his recent interventions on…
Health Issue: Ministerial Statement on cardiac surgery at Belfast Trust Original release: The Ulster Unionist Party welcomes action on Belfast Health Trust - Chambers (opens in a new tab)
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Alliance Belfast City Councillors propose free leisure activity for residents
Alliance Belfast City Councillors Hedley Abernethy and Micky Murray propose one free leisure activity for Belfast residents at council leisure facilities, aiming to encourage physical activity. The proposal was put to the People and Communities Committee in May 2025 and is part of Alliance's 100…
Local government Health Original release: Alliance Belfast City Councillors propose free leisure activity for residents (opens in a new tab)
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DoH must take more active role in maintaining accountability across Trusts, says McAllister
Alliance Health spokesperson Nuala McAllister MLA calls for clarity on the Department of Health's role in the Belfast Trust's accountability process, now raised to Level 5, after bullying allegations in cardiac surgery. She asks the Health Minister to answer MLAs' questions in the Assembly.
Health Issue: Ministerial Statement on cardiac surgery at Belfast Trust Original release: DoH must take more active role in maintaining accountability across Trusts, says McAllister (opens in a new tab)
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Catney welcomes approval for Frederick Douglass commemoration
SDLP Lisburn North councillor Pat Catney welcomes council backing for a commemoration to abolitionist Frederick Douglass, including a £25,000 stained-glass memorial window at Lisburn First Presbyterian Church. The window would also honour two other abolitionists who spoke locally in the mid-1800s…
Local government Disability and equality Issue: Lisburn council approval of Frederick Douglass commemoration window Original release: Catney welcomes approval for Frederick Douglass commemoration (opens in a new tab)
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McGrath: Bullying endemic within our health service
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA says bullying is endemic across the North's health service, after Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announced special measures for the Belfast Trust over Royal Victoria Hospital Cardiac Unit reports. He calls for the Minister to address wider…
Health Issue: Ministerial Statement on cardiac surgery at Belfast Trust Original release: McGrath: Bullying endemic within our health service (opens in a new tab)
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Finn proposes rainbow crossing to celebrate Newry’s LGBT+ community
SDLP Newry councillor Doire Finn calls on Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins to add a rainbow crossing to planned repairs at the Sugar Island zebra crossing in Newry city centre, or consider another site, as a show of support for the local LGBT+ community.
Disability and equality Local government Original release: Finn proposes rainbow crossing to celebrate Newry’s LGBT+ community (opens in a new tab)
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Clarity needed on Labour’s winter fuel U-turn – Shannon
DUP MP for Strangford Jim Shannon welcomes the Government's U-turn reinstating winter fuel payments for some pensioners this winter, and calls on it to spell out who will qualify and when. He says the Government has not explained how eligibility will be decided.
Social security and welfare Public finance and taxation Issue: Starmer announcement widening Winter Fuel Payment eligibility Original release: Clarity needed on Labour’s winter fuel U-turn – Shannon (opens in a new tab)
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Doherty: Rise in child poverty demands urgent Executive response
SDLP Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast Councillor Paul Doherty says rising child poverty across the North demands an urgent Executive response after new data showed rates worse than a decade ago, with 32.9% of children in West Belfast living in poverty. He blames the Executive for not tackling it…
Social security and welfare Issue: New child poverty data showing rise across the North Original release: Doherty: Rise in child poverty demands urgent Executive response (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin: Political failure denying mothers and babies care they need
SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin calls for urgent funding to create Northern Ireland’s first specialist Mother and Baby Unit, saying the continued reliance on general psychiatric wards separates mothers from infants and reflects a broader failure to prioritise women’s health.
Health Disability and equality Original release: McLaughlin: Political failure denying mothers and babies care they need (opens in a new tab)